Lake Forest Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Defrauding Buyers of Medical Grade Gloves During COVID 19 Pandemic

LOS ANGELES - An Orange County man was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for defrauding companies who in mid-2020 paid more than $3 million for COVID-related medical protective equipment that was never delivered.

Christopher John Badsey, 63, of Lake Forest, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to pay $1,938,990 in restitution.

Badsey pleaded guilty in April 2023 to four counts of wire fraud.

In June and July of 2020, Badsey lied to three victim companies when he told them he had access to millions of boxes of nitrile gloves through his Irvine-based company, First Defense International Security Services Corp. (FDI). This type of personal protective equipment was in high demand and short supply during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Badsey agreed by contract to sell millions of boxes of gloves to each of the three companies. But he told the companies' representatives that before they could inspect the gloves, which he claimed were stored in a Los Angeles warehouse, the companies would be required to pay deposits of upwards of $1 million to FDI. In fact, Badsey did not have any gloves stored in any warehouse.

Badsey instructed the companies to wire the deposits to accounts controlled by himself, FDI or a co-schemer. Relying on Badsey's false statements, the companies wired a total of $3,231,990 to these accounts.

"[Badsey]…used the deposit money to make expensive purchases, all while stringing would-be purchasers along with false stories, including absurd claims that government agents were blocking access to his warehouse of gloves," prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.

He has forfeited all title and interest in money or items derived from his crimes, including a yacht, a pontoon boat, two Mercedes-Benz automobiles, two Ford pickup trucks, an RV, a tractor, three ATVs, miscellaneous fishing equipment, and $58,923 in cash.

The FBI investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin N. Spencer and Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.

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